


Learning To Be More

by scifigeek14



Series: Conversations [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Gen, M/M, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), as usual read as thorki id you want to, years of angst to talk through y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 02:33:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14346129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scifigeek14/pseuds/scifigeek14
Summary: This time Loki has questions. Thor is an A+ Student.





	Learning To Be More

**Author's Note:**

> Back to the roots of this series with a THor and Loki chat! This is set directly after the previous story in this series. Its optional to read it but its short and gives context so you might as well.

“Your majesty.” Heimdall greeted as he walked through the door. Loki, from his vantage point not too far off, watched as Thor shuffled, awkwardly leaning his elbow against the door frame and trying to look like he hadn’t been just pressing his ear to the door.

“Heimdall.” He nodded, solemnly. Heimdall returned it, but Loki got the feeling that Thor was being gently mocked. Heimdall would never speak out openly against his king, and Loki knew that Heimdall genuinely liked and had a soft spot for Thor. But he also knew that Heimdall, like everyone else, secretly found enjoyment in some of Thor’s more goofy tendencies.

Thor cleared his throat and straightened out from the wall to stride into the room Heimdall had just abandoned. Loki swallowed and unconsciously stepped back when Thor stalked towards him with purpose.

“Loki.”

“Thor.” Loki calculated his chances of dodging around Thor and escaping out the door. His chances had significantly decreased since Thor had learned to recognize his false doubles.

“So, I think we should talk.”

“Or we could just not do that. I feel like we’ve been talking a lot lately. Let’s go back to pretending I’m dead, it was quieter.” He tried the direct approach, shouldering past Thor and aiming at the door.

“Loki.” Thor growled. He grabbed Loki’s arm and squeezed. Loki gasped and was yanked back. He wasn’t certain that he wasn’t imagining it, but it felt like Thor had sent a short smattering of electricity out with his tug. It left his arm feeling numb and he rubbed at it when Thor let go.

“Fine!” Loki snarled. “You want to talk? Let’s talk, Thor!”

“Good. I-” Thor started but Loki cut him off.

“No! No, no, no! My turn to ask questions!” He waved his finger in front of Thor’s face and when Thor didn’t complain he started to pace back and forth. “How!? How did you manage to outwit me? You played me like a fiddle! How?” Thor, as if he was trying to infuriate Loki on purpose, smiled warmly.

“It wasn’t about tricking you or one upping you, I assure you.” Thor said, his voice just as warm as his smile. “Loki, is it so unbelievable that I was simply learning from you?”

“ _Learning_ from me?” Loki stopped pacing and squinted at Thor, trying to suss out what he meant by such a declaration.  

“For years, I was content in the roles we played: you as the cunning magician and I as the bold fighter. You were my little brother and I loved you, and because of that I assumed that I knew you. I think that it took my realizing that I never really knew you at all to actually _see_ you.” Thor reached out to squeeze Loki’s arm again, but this time it was gently. “Loki, I’m looking now. I am finally listening, and I’m trying to learn from you.”

“But, learning from me? That implies you are a student, _not_ the master.”

“Well, I do have the advantage of having spent my youth playing an active role in your pranks.” Loki snorted.

“Fine. I’ll give you that. And, I’ll allow that I shouldn’t have been surprised that you had thought to come up with a back up plan for when I inevitably attempted to betray you.” Thor laughed genially. “But how did you know…” Loki didn’t finish his sentence. He was stuck trying to figure out how to word his question in a way that would convey what exactly he was concerned over. It was impossible, considering even he didn’t know exactly what he was upset about.

“Know you would come home?” Thor asked. And Loki just nodded. They were as good of words as any for what he had ended up doing.  “I didn’t. I just knew that I wouldn’t be able to save our people alone and I hoped that you would come to the same conclusion.”

“You risked the salvation of our people on a hope and belief in my good will?”

“Well, it was more like a calculated risk. Loki, you love to prove me wrong and you love to be the hero.”

“I guess you do know me.” Loki allowed. “I hate it.” Thor’s eyes crinkled in amusement.

“While I admit that I was perhaps exaggerating when I accused you of becoming predictable, I do know you, better than most at least. You are emotional and dramatic. You are too clever for your own good. You like to be in control.” Thor listed. Loki couldn’t exactly deny the accusations. “But, as much as you may not like admit it, for fear of ruining your image, you are a good person deep down. You wouldn’t leave your people to suffer.”

“Thor,” Loki sighed, looking away, “I’m not that good.” He bit his lip. “I thought about it, about staying on Sakaar and never looking back. More than thought about it. You know that.”

“I do. But I also know that you came back when it mattered. I think you just needed one last push to do the right thing to remember that you were many things, but never a coward. I meant what I said back on Sakaar. You can be yourself, the God of Mischief, and still be more. I’m not sure that anyone has ever told you that before, have they?”

“Not in so many words.”

“You don’t have to change who you are. I wont ever ask that from you.” Thor promised. “I love who you are, Loki. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like who you are isn’t enough. But I don’t want you to limit yourself into playing the role you think is expected from you. I never want you to make yourself small or feel like you need to hide.”

“What if there are parts of me that you won’t like?” Loki asked.

“Loki, do you honestly think that after everything you did on Earth and after the stunt you pulled by pretending to be father, there is anything else you could do that would make me like you less?”

“Well…” Loki smirked.

“That was meant to be comfort, not a challenge.” Loki laughed at Thor’s frown until it softened into a rueful smile. Thor shook him lightly until Loki had to push him away, not as annoyed as he pretended to be. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Thor. I do.”

“Good. I want to continue to learn about you and from you.” Thor said it casually, but Loki could hear the subtext.

Thor was asking him not to abandon him again. In the past, Loki had often felt that by staying with Thor he was submitting himself to a life of living stuck in Thor’s shadow. But, now, he didn’t feel as trapped as he once had. Thor didn’t want him to stay out of the obligation of royal duty or familial ties. He wanted Loki at his side, out of his shadow. For once, Loki was content to stay.

“If you want to learn from me, you may want to consider asking me for lessons in seidr.”

“But I have no talent for illusions.” Thor’s face twisted in confusion and Loki wanted to smack him. Some things would never change, it seemed.

“Were you laboring under the understanding that your lightning was something separate from seidr? Because I assure you that it is not that different from my illusions.”

“Really?” Thor’s eyes lit up, “But, if that’s true, why did mother never train me in the art?”

“Likely because Odin never let her. He sought to control and suppress your powers by use of Mjolnir. Mjolnr is gone. You’ll have to learn to control it on your own so that you can call it forth without being forced into a life or death situation first.”

“And you will teach me?”

“I will.”

Thor rushed forward and scooped Loki up into a slightly-too-tight hug.  

**Author's Note:**

> Still taking requests/prompts for this series.  
> Any topics you really want covered. Any two people you want to see talk?
> 
> Upcoming:  
> Val & Loki  
> Thor & Loki
> 
> Here is an update on the art i'm making for my (eventually) upcoming chapter fic.  
> http://scifikimmi.tumblr.com/post/172987527430/well-i-am-exhausted-and-i-still-have-to-do-their  
>  Its going to be a long wait on that one guys. I don't like to post chapter fics until they are ALL done. and this is going to be a long one to write. I mean I'm talking months (at least). Maybe a year or even more. (I hope its worth the wait lol).


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